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Adepta Sororitas
]] ]] battle enemies of the God-Emperor]] The Adepta Sororitas, also known as the Sisters of Battle and formerly known as the Daughters of the Emperor, are an all-female division of the Imperial Cult's ecclesiastical Adepta known as the Ecclesiarchy or, more formally, as the Adeptus Ministorum. The Sisterhood's Orders Militant serve as the Ecclesiarchy's fighting arm, mercilessly rooting out corruption and heresy within humanity and every organization of the Adeptus Terra. There is naturally some overlap between the duties of the Sisterhood and the Imperial Inquisition; for this reason, although the Inquisition and the Sisterhood remain entirely separate organisations, the Orders Militant of the Sisterhood also act as the Chamber Militant of the Inquisition's Ordo Hereticus. The Adepta Sororitas and the Sisters of Battle are commonly regarded as the same organisation, but the latter title technically refers only to the Orders Militant of the Adepta Sororitas, the best-known part of the organization. The Sisterhood serves as the Ministorum's only official military force because the Decree Passive laid down by the reformist Ecclesiarch Sebastian Thor held that in the wake of the Age of Apostasy of the 36th Millennium, the Ecclesiarchy cannot maintain any men under arms. This was supposed to limit the power of the Ecclesiarchy. However, the Ministorum was able to circumvent this decree by using the all-female military force of the Sisterhood's Orders Militant. History The Adepta Sororitas date their founding from the 36th Millennium, and more specifically from the later events of the Age of Apostasy's Reign of Blood. The majority of the Sisterhood's initial membership was recruited from the pre-existing Brides of the Emperor, the all-female bodyguard force employed by High Lord Goge Vandire. Loyal to the Emperor, the Brides (initially called the Daughters of the Emperor, but renamed by Vandire) were misled by the insane Vandire into fulfilling his own designs. When the truth of the matter, and Vandire's corruption, was revealed by the efforts of Sebastian Thor, the leader of the Daughters executed Vandire in his own audience chamber. The Daughters of the Emperor were at a loss after this event, and so the Ecclesiarchy took the opportunity to recruit and indoctrinate them into the newly formed Adepta Sororitas, the Ecclesiarchy's all-female military, circumventing the Decree Passive's strictures against the Ecclesiarchy possessing a force of "men under arms." The Adepta Sororitas had its origins on the world of San Leor. A religious order known as the Daughters of the Emperor, an all-female cult dedicated to worship of the God-Emperor and the orthodox doctrines of the Imperial Creed, had been discovered there by members of the Ecclesiarchy. Goge Vandire, the High Lord of the Administratum as well as the reigning Ecclesiarch of the Adeptus Ministorum, decided to pay a visit to San Leor and recruit the Daughters into his own private army as he sought to cement his power over the Imperium as a de facto replacement for the Emperor. The Daughters at first refused to accept his authority. Vandire decided to show them that he was blessed by the Emperor - he instructed a soldier in his entourage to shoot him, which after a brief hesitation, he did. However, thanks to the protective force field generated by the Rosarius of the Ecclesiarch (which no one but Vandire himself was aware of), Vandire was not harmed. The Daughters took this invulnerability to be a sign from the Emperor, and swore allegiance to Vandire virtually on the spot. Vandire renamed the sisters the Brides of the Emperor, and they proved to be Vandire's most loyal followers. During the Siege of the Ecclesiarchal Palace on Terra at the end of the Reign of Blood, the Adeptus Custodes, the defenders of the Emperor himself, tried to approach the Brides and convince them of Vandire's treachery and outright rejection of the Emperor's will in the pursuit of his own power and aggrandisement. In a last ditch effort to convince them that their master had betrayed the Emperor, the Custodes took Alicia Dominica, the leader of the Brides, and her chosen bodyguards deep into the Imperial Palace where they became some of the few human beings in the Imperium's history since the Horus Heresy to stand before the Emperor himself where he was interred within the mechanisms of the Golden Throne. What happened there remains unknown - Dominica and her companions were sworn to secrecy - but it became clear that the Brides, who reverted to their prvious title of Daughters of the Emperor, had been awakened to the evil that Vandire represented. Marching into his audience chamber, Dominica paused only to condemn Vandire for his crimes before she beheaded the power-crazed dictator with her Power Sword. Reportedly, Vandire's final words were "I don't have time to die - I'm too busy!" After this episode, the Decree Passive was proclaimed by the newly-appointed Ecclesiarch Sebastian Thor. Under the literal interpretation of the decree however, the Adepta Sororitas were not obligated to disband because the decree made only explicit mention of "men under arms." Thor, recognizing the need for the Ecclesiarchy to have some kind of military force and internal regulator, allowed them to remain, even if the spirit of his own decree was rather blatantly disregarded. Trained to the highest levels possible for normal humans and possessed of a phenomenal faith in the God-Emperor of Mankind, the Sisters would go on to engage in Wars of Faith, bringing the light of the Emperor to parts of the galaxy that had fallen into darkness. Organisation In the 41st Millennium, the Adepta Sororitas is part of the Ecclesiarchy and is divided into two Convents. The Convent Prioris is located on Terra, and the Convent Sanctorum is based on the Shrine World of Ophelia VII. The overall commander and spiritual leader of the entire Sisterhood and all its myriad Orders is the Abbess Sanctorum, the leader of the Convent Prioris on Terra. As the recognised leader of the Adepta Sororitas, the Abbess Sanctorum is sometimes elected to join the ranks of the High Lords of Terra, while other times she is subservient to the commands of the Ecclesiarch. The Convents of the Sisterhood are organized into several Orders. Each Order follows the same basic hierarchical structure: *'Order': Led by the most senior Canoness, called the Canoness Superior, who runs the entire Order. Each Canoness Superior is subservient only to the will of the Abbess Sanctorum. *'Preceptory': A Preceptory contains a single Convent with up to 1,000 Sisters, so an Adepta Sororitas Preceptory is equivalent in size to a Space Marine Chapter and is lead by a Canoness Preceptor or''' Prioress. *'''Commandery: A Commandery normally comprises several smaller Convents or detachments of Orders Militant Sisters from a single Convent with up to 200 Sisters of Battle, led by a Canoness Commander. A Commandery is more or less equal in size to a Space Marine company. *'Mission': The smallest organisation of the Sisters, a Mission consists of a few Sororitas units and can be lead by a Canoness or the lesser rank of Palatine. Orders of the Adepta Sororitas *The famed Orders Militant or Sisters of Battle of the Adepta Sororitas pursue the ways of war to spread the Emperor's light. The Orders Militant are often tasked by the Ecclesiarchy with defending its shrine and cardinal worlds or retaking such planets from heretics, xenos or the blasphemous forces of Chaos. There are literally dozens of different Orders Militant, with their convents scattered across the galaxy. The Sisters of Battle are also often attached to the Ordo Hereticus of the Imperial Inqusition and indeed serve the Witch Hunters as their Chamber Militant. Battle Sisters are recruited solely from the female progena of the Schola Progenium facilities spread across the galaxy. They are orphans of those Imperial servants who have given their lives in the service of the Imperium, either in the Imperial Guard or some other Imperial organization. While being raised within the Schola they receive a strong Ecclesiarchy upbringing and education, coming to regard the Emperor as their spiritual father. Progena recruited into the Sisterhood are indoctrinated even further into the Imperial Creed, becoming even more fiercely devoted to the Emperor and the Imperial cause. Their duty as part of the Sisterhood is to ensure and enforce the physical and spiritual purity of humanity and the departments of the Adeptus Terra. As they share in much the same role as the Ordo Hereticus, Battle Sisters often form a major part of Ordo Hereticus military forces when a Witch Hunter does not wish to use the forces of the Imperial Guard to carry out a military objective. There are six major Orders Militant in the Adepta Sororitas: **[[Order of the Bloody Rose|'Order of the Bloody Rose']] **[[Order of the Sacred Rose|'Order of the Sacred Rose']] **[[Order of Our Martyred Lady|'Order of Our Martyred Lady']] **[[Order of the Ebon Chalice|'Order of the Ebon Chalice']] **[[Order of the Valorous Heart|'Order of the Valorous Heart']] **[[Order of the Argent Shroud|'Order of the Argent Shroud']] Other Sororitas Orders are not combat-oriented per se and pursue less violent activities such as the copying, studying of and commentary upon the Imperial Creed's scriptures, preaching, tending to the sick and injured, educating the young and maintaining the spiritual loyalty and health of the Imperium's various noble families. *'Orders Hospitaller': The Sisters of the Orders Hospitaller aid the poor and heal the sick and the wounded in the many hospitals and clinics across the Imperium operated as charities by the Sisterhood. Some of their hospitals are part of Imperial Crusades and the Sisters serve as medics for the Imperial Guard Regiments serving in those conflicts. Several of the more well-known Orders Hospitaller include: **'Order of the Eternal Candle' **'Order of Serenity' **'Order of the Cleansing Water' **'Order of the Torch' *'Orders Dialogous': The Sisters of the Order Dialogous help to translate the innumerable dialects and slangs of Low Gothic used throughout the Imperium. At the behest of the Inquisition and certain other parties in the Imperial hierarchy they also study Xenos languages, and translate texts obtained from Xenos artefacts. Sisters Dialogous are often employed as Sage Acolytes in Ordo Hereticus Inquisitors' retinues. The better-known Orders Dialogous include: **'Order of the Holy Word' **'Order of the Quill' **'Order of the Sacred Oath' **'Order of the Lexicon' *'Orders Famulous': The Sisters of the Orders Famulous organise, educate and maintain the households of certain Imperial Planetary Governors and Imperial nobles, serving as advisers and by their very presence reminding them of their higher loyalties to the Emperor of Mankind. They oppose any disloyalty with the support of faithful followers from the inside of the noble household itself.The Orders Famulous also maintain and update extensive genetic and genealogical records for all the important noble families of the Imperium and can conduct genetic testing at the request of the Inquisition when rampant mutation or heresy on the part of Imperial nobles is suspected. Across the galaxy, the most well-known of the Orders Famoulous include: **'Order of the Key' **'Order of the Gate' **'Order of the Holy Seal' **'Order of the Sacred Coin' *'Orders Minoris': Besides these famous major Orders there is also an unknown number of Minor Orders whose functions are widely unknown. Imperial records speak of the Order of the Eternal Gate whose responsibility is the retrieval of ancient or dangerous relics and artefacts for the Ecclesiarchy. Also known to exist is the Order of the White Rose whose actual function remains a complete mystery. This order split away from the Order of the Sacred Rose in the latter part of the 39th Millennium. Ranks of the Adepta Sororitas *'Abbess Sanctorum': The Abbess Sanctorum is the leader of the Convent Prioris on Terra; she is also the overall spiritual leader of the Sisterhood. In military matters she is assisted by the Prioress of the Convent Sanctorum. Presently the position is vacant. *'Canoness' Superior: A Canoness Superior serves as the overall leader of an entire Order. *'Prioress': A Prioress is the overall leader of a single Convent of her Order. Orders Militant Ranks *'Novice Advance': This is the lowest rank within the Adepta Sororitas. The rule of the Orders is harsh and a Novice Sister must endure many hardships during her training. Self-denial, rigid discipline and religious contemplation are indivisible parts of their training. They are armed not only with skills needed to defend the Ministorum but also with training that teaches them to fan the flames of their faith into a roaring blaze. *'Sororitas Acolyte': Due to the close ties between the Ordo Hereticus and the Adepta Sororitas' Orders Militant, it is not uncommon practice for these Sisters to serve the Inquisition for some part of their vocation. Sororitas chosen by their superiors for independent or detached service in this way are often among the most capable and self-sufficient of their Noviciate class, deemed strong enough to endure the rigors and perils of such duty. These Sisters often return to the Sororitas even firmer in their convictions and honed in their skills. Sororitas that survive long-term duties with the Inquisition are a very valuable asset for the Adepta in their war against heresy and faithlessness, and are often destined for future high rank. *'Constantia Advance': In the final stage of the Noviciate, before they are inducted in to the full rank of Sister Adepta, the Novice’s learning encompasses the use of the Chamber Militant’s sacredly ordained weaponry such as the Bolter, resistance to the deceits of heresy. At this rank the Sister confirms her complete devotion to the Imperial Creed. *'Dialogus Advance': A Dialogus Advance is a rank of the Orders Dialogous, the Sisters who focus their attention on the arts of the scholar, serving as translators and expert advisors for Imperial and planetary authorities in many fields. The armour of their faith makes them far less subject to petty corruption or hubris than others. The arts of the Dialogous are of obvious use to both the Adeptus Ministorum and, most particularly, the Ordos of the Inquisition, as they are expert at unlocking hidden codes and obscure references, dragging the faintest hint of heresy into the light. *'Famula Advance': A rank common to the Sisters of the Orders Famulous, who devote themselves to diplomacy and the fine arts of negotiation. They are experts at dealing with the different Adepta of the Imperium and broker alliances and agreements between fractious power-blocks, guilds and noble houses of many different Imperial worlds. Their primary goal is to preserve the Imperium’s order and stability and ensure that those who rule or uphold the sinews of Imperial commerce are also working towards this goal. Their task, however, enables them to covertly monitor those they serve for signs of corruption or heresy. *'Nunciate Advance': The rank of Nunciate or “messenger” is afforded to those among the Orders Famulous and Dialogous who excel not only in their crafts, but who are also noted for their skills in leadership and experience at dealing with the Imperium’s hierarchy. Such individuals are often entrusted to act on their own to represent their Order, or are tasked as close advisors to highly important individuals such as Inquisitors and Imperial Commanders. *'Hospitaller Advance': A rank of the Sisters of the Ordos Hospitaller, who serve as physicians and offer palliative care at the frontlines of the Imperium’s many war zones and disaster areas. To the common citizenry, they are saintly figures beyond reproach, but they are no more forgiving nor compassionate than the Orders Militant if confronted by heresy or the works of the Ruinous Powers. *'Curia Advance': A more senior-rank of the Sisters of the Ordos Hospitaller. The Curia Advance has been forged in the crucible of war and catastrophe, honed by faith and discipline. These Sisters' skills encompass not only the healer’s arts, but also personal survival and the stewardship of those under their care in the harshest and most deadly of circumstances. These Hospitallers must know when to heal, when to give the final mercy and when to watch for the hidden enemy. *'Almoness Advance': This is the senior-most rank of the Sister-Hospitallers. These Sisters are as hardened to the horrors of the battlefield as any war veteran. Many of these experienced Hospitallers are called upon by both the Inquisition and the Imperial Guard to put their extensive skills and knowledge to darker ends in the service of the Imperium. *'Battle-Sister': The Battle-Sister is the basic rank of the Sisters of Battle after a woman has completed her training and taken her vows to the Emperor. *'Militant Advance': The Sisters of the Orders Militant are the elite and merciless fighting arm of the Adeptus Ministorum and the Ordo Hereticus, and they are eternally vigilant and ceaselessly loyal to the Imperial Creed. This is the next rank earned by a Battle-Sister. *'Elohiem Advance': As Battle-Sisters advance and gain both in skill and experience, they are granted the mark of the Elohiem, meaning that they have willingly shed blood in the Emperor’s service. *'Sister Superior': A Sister Superior leads a single squad of Battle-Sisters, and is thus equivalent to a Space Marine Sergeant. *'Cantus Advance': By the time a Sister reaches the rank of Cantus she has mastered the fundamentals of her duties and may have already been chosen to serve within a particular Order, but the Adepta demand that each Sister know the fundamental skills of all Orders so she can be a multi-purpose tool in the Emperor's hand -- to cure, learn, counsel or kill. *'Celestian Advance': The most experienced Battle-Sisters are granted the honorific of Celestian, marking them out as highly skilled veterans of hundreds of engagements and combats. Celestians are the equal of any other fighting force humanity has to offer other than the superhuman Space Marines; they are greatly skilled, tactically experienced and resolute in their faith in the God-Emperor. *'Superior Advance': This senior rank is held by Battle-Sisters that have been singled out and nominated for the honour by their fellow Sisters, recognising those who possess the ability to lead. Sister Superiors are inspirational leaders, acting in the forefront of the Adepta’s work, demanding unflinching obedience to the Rule and unwavering faith in their subordinates. They are often given command of forces on the battlefield, field hospitals in active war zones or particular missions of investigation, as the purpose of their individual Order warrants. *'Legatine Advance': The Legatine is among the highest ranking Sisters in any Order Militant of the Adepta Sororitas. The most skilled of warriors and the greatest spiritual leaders the Sororitas possess, they inspire great devotion in those that follow them and are political powers in their own right in the Imperium. Most Legatines go on to serve as a Canoness Preceptor, Prioress or even the Canoness Superior of their Order. *'Seraphim': Only the very best Battle-Sisters are able to join the ranks of the Seraphim, the elite warriors of the Orders Militant. Seraphim receive special training and equipment and are the equivalent of Assault Space Marines. A Seraphim Squad is comprised of Sisters of Battle who are trained in using Jump Packs. They have the ability to fire two Bolt Pistols simultaneously, making them experts at close combat. Seraphim Squads are deployed as a fast attack squad with the Sisters of Battle. The squad can be accompanied by a Sister Superior. Occasionally Seraphim carry a pair of Hand Flamers (a single-hand version of the regular Flamer) or Inferno Pistols. *'Dominion': A Dominion is a standard Battle-Sister who is outfitted with special weapons such as Flamers, Storm Bolters and Meltaguns. Each Adepta Sororitas Order Militant maintains several units of Dominions. *'Retributor': A Retributor is a standard Battle-Sister who is outfitted with heavy weapons. A Retributor squad consists of between 4 to 9 Retributor Sisters armed with Boltguns and one Sister Superior armed with a Boltgun which may be upgraded to a Bolt Pistol and another close combat weapon. The Sister Superior may be upgraded to a Veteran Sister Superior who has access to the Witch Hunters Armoury and one Sister may be upgraded to an Imagifier. Up to four Sisters may be upgraded with heavy weapons, chosing either Heavy Bolters or Multi-meltas. *'Celestian': Celestians are Battle Sisters who have proven themselves above and beyond the call of duty in their devotion to the Emperor during battle. The senior Celestians in an Order are called Celestians Superior and they aid the Canoness with the day-to-day running of the Order. They specifically act as administrative liaisons between the Sisters Superior and the Canoness, and may even lead Battle-Sisters into combat when the Canoness is otherwise engaged. Equipment The primary individual weapon of the Adepta Sororitas is the boltgun. Weapon specialists like Dominions and Retributors tend to use flame and heat-based weapons such as flamers and multi-meltas, and other weapons with a purifying spiritual effect. Battle Sisters use a form of Power Armour in battle - although since they lack the black carapace implant of the Space Marines, they cannot interface with the armour to the same degree as Space Marines and thus are somewhat less mobile in combat. The Sisters of Battle also make use of very strong faith-based powers in battle, which may or may not be related to the psychic powers of the Warp. Notable Sisters of Battle *Saint Alicia Dominica (KIA) - Patron Saint of the Sisterhood, Bearer of the Grail of Ages, Founder of the Order of the Ebon Chalice - Alicia Dominica is revered throughout the Imperium as both the founder and patron of the Adepta Sororitas. In the 36th Millennium, she ended High Lord Goge Vandire's Reign of Blood after condemning him for his for his crimes against the Emperor and beheading him. Shortly after, under the instruction of the newly appointed Ecclisiarch Sebastian Thor, Dominica established the Sisterhood - the Orders Militant of the Adepta Sororitas, with the Sisters divided between the Convents on Terra and Ophelia VII. She became the Canoness of the Order of the Ebon Chalice. In 650.M36, Alicia Dominica fell at the Battle of Frideswide's World, surviving hundreds of blows but falling to a single traitor's lasgun blast to her heart. She is declared a saint soon after. *Saint Arabella (KIA) - Saint Arabella is the patron of the Order of the Sacred Rose. Although this long-dead martyr never led her Order in battle, it was founded in her name. She was one of five companions of Alicia Dominica the patron and founder of the Adepta Sororitas. She was the last of the surviving six Sisters to enter the Emperor's Throne Room when they were brought before him for a personal audience during the Reign of Blood in M36 by the Custodians. Arabella disappeared in late M36 shortly after the death of Sister Mina - her ultimate fate is unknown *Saint Katherine (KIA) - Saint Katherine is the patron of the Order of Our Martyred Lady. Originally, she was the founder of the Order of the Fiery Heart. She was one of five companions of Alicia Dominica, the patron and founder of the Adepta Sororitas. Known as the Shield Bearer, Katherine was regarded as Alicia Dominica's second-in-command having been the bearer of Dominica's Praesidium Protectiva - a large Witch Hunters shield said to contain a shard of the Emperor's own personal Power Armour, and is said to be impervious against physical attacks. Katherine was well known for her fiery determination and vengeful spirit, ever leading her Sisters at the forefront of innumerable battles and leading the prosecution of numerous Wars of Faith against heretic in the name of the Emperor of Mankind. She was the founder of the Order of the Fiery Heart. Her Sisters reflected her vengeful and fiery nature. Leading her Order for many decades, she was declared a Living Saint within her lifetime for performing legendary acts. Eventually, Katherine met her end at the hands of evil men, when she was murdered by the Witch-cult of Mnestteus. So deeply did her Sisters mourn Katherine's loss that they renamed their Order the Order of Our Martyred Lady. Unknown to her Order, sometime before her untimely death, Saint Katherine visited the world of Sanctus Lys in the Palatine Sector. Beneath a shrine, in a hidden crypt, she interred her golden Power Armour of her legendary sword, The Ardent Blade. These powerful artefacts were found centuries later and retrieved by the Living Saint, Saint Celestine. *Saint Lucia (KIA) - Lucia was the youngest of the five sisters of Alicia Dominica, the founder and patron of the Adepta Sororitas. Lucia went onto become the founder of the Order of the Valorous Heart. In mid-late M36, Saint Lucia was captured by recidivists, who gouged out her eyes and forced her to endure the death screams of a thousand innocents, and the murder of a number of her own sisters, who remained resolutely silent. Mere days after word of her death reached the Holy Synod, Lucia is cononised as a Saint. *Saint Mina (KIA) - Saint Mina is the patron of the Order of the Blood Rose. Although this long-dead martyr never led her Order in battle, it was founded in her name. She was one of five companions of Alicia Dominica, the patron and founder of the Adepta Sororitas. In mid-late M36, Saint Mina was martyred by a sanguinary cult whilst at prayer in a shrine on Hydraphur. When her body was found along with the shrine, she was surrounded by the corpses of twenty of her attackers - her body covered in their blood. Her personal symbol, the red rose, represents her strong character and her final death. *Saint Silvana (KIA)- Silvana is the patron and founder the Order of the Argent Shroud. She was one of five companions of Alicia Dominica, the patron and founder of the Adepta Sororitas. She was one of the first Sisters to lead Holy Crusades in the name of the Emperor of Mankind. In mid-late M36, Silvana met her fate at the hands of a Death Cult Assassin. Her remains disappeared whilst lying in state at the Convent Prioris. She was declared a saint by unanimous vote of the Holy Synod. *Saint Anais - Anais was a Living Saint that fought in the War of Faith in Kaurava System. Saint Anais was placed by Confessor Treganum March alongside the Order of the Sacred Rose in the defence of the Order's primary bastion in the Sama District, on the planet of Kaurava I. When in battle, Saint Anais was imbued with the Inviolable Aura - a powerful aura which rendered every Battle Sister in her presence nigh invincible. However, this gift had one flaw, for if the holy shrines used in the blessing of this powerful aura were to be destroyed, the Inviolable Aura could be rendered impotent. This could make even the Living Saint subject to mortal wounds and be possibly slain. *Saint Celestine (KIA) - Very little is known of the life of the Battle Sister known as Celestine before she was declared a Living Saint, other than that she was once a Sister Repentia of the Order of Our Martyred Lady that fought alongside the multitudes of Imperial faithful during the protracted war against the heretics of the Palatine Schism. Celestine was at the forefront of the first wave of the deadliest fighting and was thought to have been killed in battle before the capital city of the planet Eurytion. She fell that day, alongside every other Repentia, but despite her defeat, it was said that she accounted for over one hundred schismatics during the assault. As Celestine's body was reclaimed by her Sisters and set amongst the honoured dead, her sisters saw that life still lingered within her, the light of one touched by the divine will of the Emperor glowed within her eyes. Cleansing her body of the blood and filth of battle, the Sisters were astonished to find that she stood flawless before them. The next day the assault resumed, with Celestine at the head of the Imperial forces. The heretics fell within hours as Celestine wreaked her bloody vengeance. She was hailed the Crusade's figurehead as the entire sector was scoured of schismatics and those deemed unworthy of existing upon the worlds of humanity. The Crusade's leader, Lord Ansgar, believed the crusade would reach its conclusion on the capital world of the Palatine Sector, but Celestine insisted upon first liberating the small backwater planet of Sanctus Lys. Unknown to all but her, the world was home to the Shrine of Saint Katherine of the Order of the Fiery Heart, a holy place visited by the Living Saint in secret just before her death. Celestine's followers found a broken altar amidst some ruins and were ordered by Celestine to remove it. Beneath the shattered remains, a hidden crypt was found. Barring any from following her, Celestine descended the dusty steps that none had trodden in millennia. As the dawn of first light broke above the ruined shrine, Celestine rose from the tomb, borne aloft on a column of divine radiance and attended by cherubs and doves. She was now clad in a suit of shining golden Power Armour, and wielded a vibrant blade that none could look upon - The Ardent Blade. Celestine was declared a Living Saint by Lord Ansgar and a conclave of Thorian compatriots shortly thereafter. Saint Celestine was hailed as the Hieromartyr of the Palatine Crusade, as she dispatched thousands of heretics during the prosecution of multiple Wars of Faith. The veneration by the Sisters of Battle was miraculous; she was a Living Saint, whom the Sisters would follow even the very center of the Eye of Terror. Alas, Saint Celestine was lost to the Imperium whilst fighting the renegade Warmaster of Forrax. Many believed she perished during her moment of triumph, yet none survived to give true account of the battle's conclusion. *Saint Praxedes (KIA) - Saint Praxedes of Ophelia VII was Canoness of the Order of Our Martyred Lady at the start of the Second Tyrannic War. With a force or Battle Sisters she reinforced the Caladenian Imperial Guard on the Cardinal World of Okassis. As the Tyranids assaulted the Cardinal palace, she led her Battle Sisters and a company of Guardsmen in a gallant counter-attack. Leading from the front of the fighting, she bested a Hive Tyrant and broke the Tyranid altack, buying the thousands of refugees fleeing from the conflict the time needed to evacuate the planet. Not content with this success, the Canoness pressed deep into the heart of the Tyranid swams, leading her small army in a guerrilla war against the armies of the hive mind. The disruption and havoc she wreaked seriously weakened the Tyranid attack on the spaceport, saving even more lives. As the last of the shuttles soared into orbit and safety, all contact was lost with her army. She was the first Martyr to the Kraken and her name is revered all across the Ultima Segmentum. Some claim that she yet lives, fighting on against the dreaded hordes of the Tyranids from within. *Saint Sabbat - Saint Sabbat is described as a beautiful diminutive girl with shot ebon coloured hair and piercing green eyes. She was born to a simple shepherd on the pastoral world of Hagia in the region of the galaxy that would later become known as the Sabbat Worlds. Though humans loyal to the Imperium has established minor footholds within the region, much of this sector was quite wild and untamed, ruled by hostile xenos and the blasphemous followers of Chaos. Even those few worlds that were ostensibly loyal to the Emperor of Mankind were well outside the bounds of the Civitas Imperialis, whose main task was to guarantee the safety and assurance of any citizen of the Imperium of Mankind, wherever he or she traveled or set foot within the length and breadth of the Imperium. Little is known of her early life, save that the young girl experienced a powerful vision of the Emperor that helped inspire her to rally mankind within this wild region of space and liberate it from those that would follow the Ruinous Powers. Her numerous achievements went on to overshadow many Imperial commanders, whilst her simple teachings inspired Imperial citizens by their sheer simplicity that belied her humble origins. Saint Sabbat continued her Holy Crusade for one-hundred and five years, until her eventual martyrdom on the world of Harkalon, where she suffered the Nine Holy Wounds. Her body was retrieved by the Space Marines of the White Scars Chapter and was later interred on the world of Hagia where they built the Shrinehold of Saint Sabbat. The sector that would go on to bear her name was already considered fully functioning Imperial territory at the time of her death. During the crusade to liberate the Sabbat Worlds in M41 the Saint was said to have been reincarnated as an Esholi girl from Hagia who then led Imperial forces on the planet of Herodor and then joined the Warmaster at the front lines to inspire the Imperial forces. *Ephrael Stern (Current Location Unknown) - *Helena the Virtuous - Canon Conflicts Until the release of Warhammer 40,000 Second Edition's Sisters of Battle codex, the Convent Sanctorum was described as being on Terra, with the Convent Prioris on Ophelia IV. In the codex, Gav Thorpe reverses the locations of the Convents; he also changes the name of Ophelia IV to Ophelia VII. The following statement comes from the Codex: Sisters of Battle 2nd Edition: "A sign of the Sisters' strength is the fact that in their entire history only a single Sister, Miriael Sabathiel, has fallen to the lure of Chaos. How Miriael fell is unknown, only that she was turned from the Emperor's light to Slaanesh worship, and now serves as one of the Prince of Chaos' greatest warriors." However this is clearly contradicted by the graphic novel'' Daemonifuge'' in which a Sister was seduced by a Navigator (who had been corrupted by a daemonic servant of Slaanesh) and several Sisters were completely corrupted by a Keeper of Secrets, a Greater Daemon of Slaanesh. In the novel Cain's Last Stand, it is also stated that an entire Mission of Sisters were seen engaging Imperial forces alongside Chaos Cultists and Cain is also confronted by two Sisters under daemonic influence. Sources *''White Dwarf'' 379, "Codex: Sisters of Battle, Part 1 and Part 2" (5th Edition) *''Codex Imperialis'' (1st Edition), pp. 14, 39 *''Codex: Necrons'' (3rd Edition), pp. 5, 146 *''Codex: Sisters of Battle'' (2nd Edition) *''Codex: Tau'' (3rd Edition), pp. 56–57 *''Codex: Witch Hunters'' (3rd Edition) *''Crossfire'' (Novel), p. 258 *''Daemonifuge'' (Graphic Novel Series) *Dawn of War - Soulstorm (Game) *''Duty Calls (Novel), p. 71 *''Execution Hour (Novel), p. 146 *''Legacy'' (Novel), p. 203 Gallery Celestians_by_andreauderzo.jpg|Celestians with Rhino support Dominions_by_andreauderzo.jpg|Dominions - Sisters of Battle who use Heavy Weapons Retributors_by_andreauderzo.jpg|Retributors - A Sister of Battle with a Heavy Bolter immolator.jpg|Sister of Battle manning an Immolator Flamer weapon Sororitas in battle.jpg|Sisters of Battle in combat Adeptus Sororiatas Sister.jpg|Sister of Battle in Power Armour Canoness_Elana_by_andreauderzo.jpg|A Canoness The_Saint_Approaches_by_MajesticChicken.jpg|A Saint of the Adpta Sororitas bringing her righteous wrath down upon the Heretic Wh sistersbattle.jpg|The Sisters of Battle in combat against the Forces of Chaos Category:A Category:Imperium Category:Adepts Category:Adepta Sororitas